Pilgrimage pt 1

[Guest guest]

His Will (Marzi): From 29 January to 2

February.<br> Prelude <br> Though we had our train

reservations, to and fro, about two <br>months earlier, i.e.

November'2001 yet when it actually came to leave <br>our

station (Lucknow), a mysterious awe overpowered us. The

thought <br>of going to a destination where, once upon a

time, last lived The <br>Destiny of all the

Destinations made our psychic being disturbed. <br>All of us

were shouting at each other for making up journey

kits, <br>baggage, and eatables. The journey was long,

expectations high, but <br>going to tomb of an Avatar a – God-

Man, silently stirred our inner <br>self like a school

child going to his home with his annual exam's

<br>report card in which he had a poor grade. We were proud

of our <br>fortunes on one hand and feeling ashamed

of our worthiness on the <br>other. <br>29th

January. <br> Our getting up very early in the morning,

boarding on the <br>train at 6.30A.M, cheerful exchange of

greetings and finding <br>ourselves as a crowd of total 35

persons ensued some enthusiasm in <br>us. Shall we not

call it the emancipation of "mass-consciousness"?

<br>Some sociologists and psychologists might term it as

"mob-mentality" <br>and attempt to interpret it in the light of

human behavioral pattern <br>and they may be right, but

vibration thoughts of constant remembrance <br>of our

common purpose and goal certainly created a peculiar

<br>resonance. The train pushed off leaving the echoes of our

<br>hailing "Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai".<br> All the day we

rejoiced singing His prayers, Qawalis, <br>Gazals and the

in the evening reached Jhansi from where another

<br>train, Jhelam Express, was to be boarded upon at

6.30P.M. <br>Unconsciously we became selfish in finding

coach and berth to suit <br>our fancy. All of us were

having reservations and no one was without <br>a

pre-allotted berth but our humane folly eluded us to take more

<br>comfortable berth than a mere comfortable one. Being given

the <br>option to choose, we tried to apply it in the

most fancied way. Mr. <br>X at berth number 7 was fond

of Mr. Z whose berth was number, say 34; <br>and

berth number 8 was allotted to Mr. Y. So, Mr. X

requested to Mr. <br>Y to take number 34 and leave 8 for

Mr. Z. I was fanaticizing as to <br>what geographical

area and clan I would opt if God would provide a

<br>similar option to be born on earth. Jhelam express was

right time. <br>We boarded in it and after a little

hush, hush of choices, settled to <br>sing chorus of

prayers, then went to sleep. <br>30th. January

<br>Morning found us still in the train hunting for tea etc.

at <br>Bhusawal. The train was scheduled to reach

Ahmadnagar around 12.30 <br>P.M. The stoppage there was of

only two minuets. Our complete <br>conscious being was

now concentrated on boarding off the train safely

<br>without leaving any of our belongings. And so, it came

true. We <br>dismounted from our coaches and watched

with dismay the train still <br>at rest. For the first

time I reflected upon my foolishness to make

<br>haste. I was burdened with two heavy packages of books.

They were, <br>as I found later, not only physical

loads, but also subtle loads on <br>my ego. Repeating

His name in reverence, we hired a tempo and

<br>reached our cherished spot, Meherabad. Within 15 minuets,

our leader <br>brought our

boarding-cum-lodging-cum-Darshan badges. Ladies and <br>gents were housed

separately. We had prior knowledge about this <br>arrangement

and made up the baggage likewise. Yet, the gender

<br>segregation was a bit inconvenient to the persons like my

wife and me <br>who habitually were adapted for the

"division of duties" between us. <br>She was in-charge of

"what to wear, eat and buy" while I was <br>responsible

for all the expenses. I resolved to take bath and

<br>change. And so was everyone. The streams of people were

pouring in <br>and everyone wanted to take a bow- down at

Samadhi (Tomb) as if to <br>put his or her signature of

presence/ar

[Guest guest]

Hi Safar!<br><br>Thanks for sharing the interesting article. But it is

incomplete and I'm still waiting for the second

installment!<br><br><br><br>_/\_<br><br>Uma